Ravery MD, 1994

This portrait is of a good friend of many years. The original black and white photo was taken in my dorm room while we were students at LSU and I was enrolled in a photography class. We had the timer set on the 35mm Nikon and were goofing off in front of it.  This painting happened quite quickly, as I’d just finished a more challenging piece and I wanted something I could do more effortlessly. Competing it was no less satisfying. I loved keeping this piece on my easel for quite some time after it was done, as it has such an impact when you stand in front of it. The colors pop off of the canvas, the orange of his hair is complemented by the desaturated background, and his expression captures his true intensity and intellect.  I’m a big fan of the shapes in the hair, especially on the left side where the flowing of his hair looks like fire decals on a Hot Wheels car. The nose is interesting to me in that it has a very distinct shape, but is defined almost entirely by negative space and shadows. Every painting seems to have one little gem, and in this portrait it’s the ash of the cigarette, with the minute shapes adding emphasis to the most conspicuous detail of the piece.